This Week’s Best Food Events: Back to the Future Burger Celebration, Scary Food Talk, and Food Film Festival

October 18, 2015

Explore one of Queens’ most diverse neighborhoods this week with three-course dinner menus for $25. Sunnyside Restaurant Week includes 29 participating restaurants such as Salt & Fat, some of which are also offering special lunch menus. Each restaurant will serve a 3-course dinner menu for $25, and some have also opted to create a special lunch menu. On Monday beginning at 6:30 p.m., things kick off at Bliss Plaza (46th St. and Queens Boulevard) with a viewing of film shorts by Queens World Film Festival followed by a walking tour of the selected restaurants offering complimentary bites. Select restaurants will also screen films throughout the course of the week. See the full line up of participating restaurants and special menus here.

Can a rye fungus cause mass hallucination? Is food responsible for the hysteria of surrounding Salem Witch Trial? What does human taste like? Brush up on the history of scary food at this Halloween-themed discussion, which will cover topics like demonic possession and cannibalism (tasting notes will be provided).

Back to the Future: Burgers Through Time, Ainsworth Midtown, 45 East 33 Street, Wednesday

Great Scott! The Ainsworth Midtown is celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Back to the Future with a one-night only special burger menu, a collaboration between Jamie Schweid of burger purveyor Schweid & Sons, Ainsworth executive chef Stephen Yen and hamburger historian George Motz. They’ve created a menu inspired by each of the time traveling films, focusing on historically popular burgers of the time, including one from 1895 that’s served sans ketchup on white bread. There’ll be an “In N’ Out animal style” cheeseburger representing the 1950’s, a fried-egg topped burger with an optional hot dog on the side for 1985, and a modern day mac n’ cheese burger served on a brioche bun. Menu options range from $10 to $16, and the bar is also offering a special “flux capacitor” rye cocktail to mark the occasion.

Brooklyn Italia Week, Multiple Locations, Thursday through October 29

Celebrate Italian-American heritage month with a selection of Italy’s most popular regional dishes. Throughout Brooklyn, restaurants including Fiore in Williamsburg and Marco Polo Ristorante in Carroll Gardens are offering unique specials for brunch, lunch, and dinner. A full line up of participating restaurants and their offers can be viewed here.

Forget artisanal popcorn — this movie experience brings to life the food you see on film. Kicking things off on Thursday is Tender: Stories of Love and Meat which concludes its selection of carnivorous cinema with a pitmaster party by Hometown BBQ. The menu includes smoked sausage from Texas’ famed Kreuz Market, beef sliders from Schnipper’s, and pork tacos by Tortilleria Nixtamal. The Food Porn Party on Friday includes bites from Dirt Candy and Public, while Saturday’s movies are geared towards families and feature a puppet musical about Milano cookies. Festival tickets are all-inclusive of food, beverages, gift bag, and entry to film screenings. A full schedule of screenings and ticket options can be viewed here.